1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a vertically oriented apparatus for bending metal tubing. More particularly, the present invention relates to an automated and computer controlled apparatus for bending tubing, in which the height of the apparatus is greater than the width thereof, in order to occupy less floor space than is required for a conventional tube bending machine, and in which tubing stock is moved along a substantially vertical path.
2. Description of the Background Art
Many different types of tube bending machines are known and commercially available. Some examples of tubing benders may be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,724,256, 4,126,030, 4,606,250, 4,703,678 and 5,025,651.
However, it is believed that all of the known tubing benders are mounted on a horizontally oriented support frame or base, and move a piece of tubing stock therethrough along a substantially horizontal path. This conventional arrangement of the machine takes up a large floor space in a manufacturing facility, which tends to be relatively expensive.
A need still exists in the art for an improved tube bending apparatus, which includes tube moving and bending components mounted on a support frame which takes up less floor space in a manufacturing plant than the previously known tubing benders.